Rail

AECOM wins Minn. light rail contract

AECOM Technology Corp. was awarded a $16.8-million contract by the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities to perform preliminary engineering work on the Southwest Light Rail Transit line in Minneapolis.

The firm will provide preliminary engineering services for the western half of a 15.8-mile corridor that includes 17 new stations that will operate from downtown Minneapolis through several southwestern suburban cities. This project is an extension of the Green Line between downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis, which was also designed by AECOM and is scheduled to begin operation during 2014.

Construction is set to begin in 2015, with the line scheduled to begin operating during 2018.